Sadly, my outdoors isn't quite as great as that! I'm not too happy with how my gardens are looking this year. I pulled out all the junipers that I never really liked anyway, but I think it's time for a complete landscape overhaul. So for now, my great outdoors comes in mini-size - planters.

Earlier this spring, I posted this picture of a beach-inspired planter that I wanted to create:

I looked for similar plants, but didn't have much luck finding anything like them. So I had to improvise - I used a succulent, a gerber daisy, and juncus effusus. I popped in a piece of wood, a blue ball, and some shells, and I think this is about as beachy as my planter is going to get.

Photo by JAX Decor & Design

I didn't add sand yet because I'm not 100% certain that I'll be keeping the planter like this. What do you think - would you change it up or leave it as it is?

I normally don't plant any flowers in the backyard because our Lab Squirt thinks that everything is edible and that plants are her own personal buffet. But I thought I'd take a shot with a few planters on the back deck and hope for the best! A little pot of red double impatiens...

Photo by JAX Decor & Design

I wanted to use geraniums in the big pots, but the garden center I was at was completely sold out and I was in a hurry and didn't feel like driving all over the place looking for geraniums, so impatiens it is!

Photos by JAX Decor & Design

So that's my little attempt at adding some beachiness to the front porch and colour to the backyard. If you want to join in on the fun or look for some outdoor inspiration, click the buttons below...

First off, the plant name juncus effusus just makes me chuckle. It seems like a pig latin term or something. Beautius jobus with your plantersus!!! lolThank you so much for linking up and sharing all of the blog link love!!Karah

I think the addition of the sand would be the perfect touch! And maybe Karah can send you some awesome driftwood that she collects in Curacao!

The planters look lovely. And I'm curious about that squiggly plant in your beachy planter and the white flower bush by the back deck. See how technical I am when it comes to plants? I figure why get to know them all that well when I'm just going to kill them anyway ...

OOh, there is nothing like planting a pot to really bring up the look of a garden. I love the colours you have chosen, especially the bright pink floppy petals with the white flowers. Looks lovely and colourful and not too prim & proper. Great!

I love colour, the ocean, animals, and things that make me laugh. Great architectural features, beautiful tiles, and a little bit of bling are my favourite interior decorating things. I can totally relate to Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, minus the scientific stuff. I recently discovered my inner artist and can't stop painting (but only abstracts, I can't even draw a stick figure properly).

extreme makeover: kindness edition 2012

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